


When Victoria Met Barnabas

by rhodrymavelyne



Category: Dark Shadows - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-18
Updated: 2015-06-18
Packaged: 2018-04-04 22:22:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 991
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4155159
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rhodrymavelyne/pseuds/rhodrymavelyne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>My own take on Victoria Winters' first meeting with Barnabas Collins.</p>
            </blockquote>





	When Victoria Met Barnabas

**Author's Note:**

> This is my own take on the 'Dark Shadows' universe, with a little borrowed from each one of them.

The way the gentleman took Elizabeth’s hand made Victoria think of some of her favorite pictures in history books. Sir Walter Raleigh leaning over Elizabeth I’s hand, Disreali bending to kiss Queen Victoria’s. A gallant addressing a queen. The old fashioned gesture charmed her. Victoria had fallen a little in love with the stranger for making it.

The gentleman raised his head. Straightened his spine. Victoria saw his face and gasped. He heard the gasp. He looked in her direction. Barnabas Collins’ dark eyes widened, as he regarded Victoria. For it was Barnabas Collins. The mysterious Collins ancestor from the portrait in the hall, the one she’d been dreaming about!

For a moment, they just stared at each other.

“Vicki, please come in!” Elizabeth said. Her words broke the spell of silence. “This is my cousin, Barnabas Collins, from England.” With a graceful gesture of one long, black sleeve, Elizabeth motioned from Barnabas to Victoria. “Barnabas, this is Victoria Winters, a young lady who has graciously agreed to chronicle the Collins family history.”

Feeling foolish, Victoria entered the room. Of course. He was a cousin from England. He couldn’t be the Barnabas Collins from the portrait, despite the amazing resemblance.

“A noble effort, chronicling our history,” the gentleman said. He bowed slightly in Victoria’s direction. “If I can be of any assistance during my stay, Miss Winters, I am at your disposal.”  
He means it, Victoria thought. Those dark eyes drank her in, devoured her, and worshipped her, all at the same time. Never had a man looked at Victoria like that. Not even the mysterious gentleman in Boston had gazed at her with quite this much intensity. Victoria felt herself color. 

“Thank you, Mr. Collins,” she answered, shyly. Her mouth moved, before she even realized she was speaking. “When I saw you standing here, I thought you were a ghost. You’re the very image of the man in the portrait, hanging over the stairs.”

“It is a very great pleasure to see the original likeness of my ancestor,” Barnabas said, with a slight smile. “I was named for him. I’d seen likenesses of him. Growing up resembling him almost seemed like destiny.”  
His gaze dropped slightly, as if he feared to look upon Victoria for too long. He smiled at Elizabeth, before gazing through the open door of the drawing room. You could see the portrait of Barnabas from where he stood. “I always dreamed of coming here.” His hungry stare, mingled with a sweet wistfulness flickered from Victoria, to Elizabeth, to the walls of Collinwood surrounding them. 

He’s as much in love with Collinwood as I am, Victoria thought. The thought warmed her right down to her toes. This was someone she could share her passion for the house with, as well as its history. The warmth made her tingle all over. Victoria glanced out of the corner of her eye at Elizabeth. The Collins matriarch was smiling the same tender smile she’d graced Victoria with, after Victoria had babbled about how beautiful Collinwood was. Of course. This was Elizabeth’s beloved family estate. Many people disliked or feared Collinwood, found it gloomy, creepy, or cursed. Few loved it as much as Elizabeth did. Barnabas had won over Elizabeth Collins Stoddard with his reaction to her home. Just as Vicki had. It was a small, elite club, the lovers of Collinwood. Not even all of the Collins family loved it. A bond had formed between those lovers, even though they’d just met. Yes. She, Elizabeth, and Barnabas now shared a bond, through their love for this place.

A shiver cooled the tingling warmth running through Victoria. All of her life, Victoria Winters had been alone. The odd fosterling child, the changeling who loved books, history, and fantasy. Someone had cared enough to provide for her, but that someone had kept their distance. Books had been Victoria’s only reliable companion. She wasn’t the only orphan to love books, or to make up stories, but none of the others had been quite as passionate about it. Her passion frightened off others. People had learned to shy away from her. Even worse, there had been those who thought her reading was a perversion, a substitute for healthier appetites. Victoria had learned to hide her passion, since it frightened everyone else. Here at Collinwood, Elizabeth encouraged Victoria in her passion. Not just in room, board, and wages, but Elizabeth found her new charge’s sentiments admirable. Now, this attractive and fascinating stranger was offering to share it with her. Victoria studied Barnabas’ suit, his coat, which was almost a cape, and his slender hand gripping a wolf headed cane. It was exactly like the one the Barnabas in the portrait carried. This cousin from England seemed the very embodiment of the family history Victoria craved so desperately. This fantasy made real was studying her intently, as if every movement in her face fascinated him. Surely, he could smell the desperation rising off of Victoria Winters. Surely, the interest in his eyes would turn into fear, or distaste.

It didn’t. Barnabas Collins’ entire face softened. A smile tugged at his lips, as if Victoria’s hunger made him happy. As if he didn’t quite dare believe how happy it made him. He’s been hurt, too, Victoria realized, as she met his wistful, yearning gaze. His pain has made him wary. Perhaps warier than me. This relieved Victoria. It put this elegant gentleman and herself on more equal footing.

“Why don’t you stay for dinner, Barnabas?” Elizabeth asked. Her sharp eyes had missed nothing, but she was acting the perfect hostess. “I should very much like for you to meet my daughter and my brother. They’re your cousins, as well.” After a pause, she added, “Not to mention my nephew, of course.”

“Thank you, cousin, but I have already dined.” Barnabas sounded genuinely regretful. “However, I would relish an opportunity to meet the rest of the Collins family.”


End file.
